Draft Town Centre Public Realm Strategy

The Strategy sets forth a comprehensive vision aimed at long-term improvements to the town's public spaces to create pleasant, accessible and sustainable environments that will support the town's growing population and economic development. It will supplement the Local Plan and inform decisions on planning applications and investment decisions.

The Draft Town Centre Public Realm Strategy covers the following elements:

• An audit of the existing public realm and pedestrian and cycle movement in the town centre;
• An overall pedestrian and cycle movement framework, including defining a typology of streets and spaces;
• A design manual to guide both planning applications and investment decisions;
• More detailed public realm proposals for five particularly significant streets and spaces, including illustrative proposals;
• Less detailed guidelines on other areas within the Borough; and
• An action plan setting out both short-term and long-term implementation measures.

It is important to note that the guidance is not intended to be prescriptive. Guidance within the draft simply illustrates examples of how design principles might be applied.

The consultation will close on 26th February 2025 at 5:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact the Planning Policy team at planningpolicy@reading.gov.uk